ANNUAL  REPORT 

OF  TIIE 

TRANSACTIONS 

OF  THfi 

QUEENS  COUNTY  AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY, 

*  CONTAINING 

DELIVERED  AT  THE  EXHIBITION  OF  THE  SOCIETY, 
At  Hempstead,  October  17th,  1813, 

BY  D.  S.  DICKINSON: 

THE  REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES,  THE  PREMIUMS  AWARD- 
ED, AND  A  LIST  OF  THE 

OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 

FOR  1843. 


PRINTED  BY  CHARLES  W1LLETS, 
HEMPSTEAD,  L.  I. 

1844. 

lEx  IGtfartB 

SEYMOUR  DURST 


Jericho,  November  21th,  1843. 

To  Lieut.  Gov.  Dickinson, 
My  Dear  Sir, 

Immediately  after  the  delivery  of  your  Address  be- 
fore our  Agricultural  Society,  the  following  resolution  was  adopted  : 

''Resolved, — That  we  present  our  sincere  thanks  to  the  Hon.  Dan- 
iel S.  Dickinson,  for  the  able  and  interesting  Address  with  which  he 
has  just  favoured  us,  and  that  he  be  respectfully  requested  to  fur- 
nish a  copy  for  publication.'' 

Indulging  the  hope  that  you  will  be  pleased  to  comply  with  the 
wish  of  the  Society, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 
Very  Eespectfully, 

Your  Obedient  Servant, 

ALBERT  G.  CARLL, 

Corresponding  Secretary. 


Binghampton,  Dec.  bth,  1843. 

My  Dear  Sir, 

Pursuant  to  the  request  of  the  Queens  County  Agri- 
cultural Society,  as  contained  in  the  kind  and  complimentary  resolu- 
tion, conveyed  in  your  favor  of  the  27th  ult. :  I  transmit  a  copy 
of  my  Address,  delivered  at  their  fair  in  October,  for  publication. 

It  was  the  work  of  haste,  and  did  not  receive  that  attention  from 
me  which  the  importance  of  the  subject  demands. 

Be  pleased  to  accept  for  yourself  and  in  behalf  of  the  Society  re- 
newed assurances  of  high  consideration  and  regard. 

D.  S.  DICKINSON. 

To  Albert  G.  Carll,  Esq., 

Corresponding  Secretary,  &c. 


ADDRESS. 


The  earth  was  by  Divine  appointment,  to  furnish  man's  subsis- 
tence. When,  as  sacred  history  informs  us,  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  were  finished,  and  all  the  host  of  them,  and  there  was  not  a 
man  to  till  the  ground,  man  was  created  and  placed  in  the  garden  ; 
not  to  vegetate  in  passive  luxuriance,  like  the  herbs  and  plants  which 
adorned  his  paradise,  but  to  dress  and  keep  it :  and  though  by  rea- 
son of  his  defection  he  was  driven  from  its  enjoyments ;  his  state 
of  calm  and  happy  innocence  was  changed  to  one  of  solicitude,  toil 
and  endurance — the  ground  was  cursed  for  his  sake  with  thorns 
also  and  thistles,  and  it  was  ordained  that  in  the  sweat  of  his  face 
he  should  eat  his  bread : — it  is  evident,  that  in  the  economy  of 
his  creation,  as  well  as  in  the  appointment  of  his  lot  after  the  fall, 
he  was  destined  for  active  employment. 

Practical  agriculture  is  coeval  with  the  history  of  man.  One 
of  the  sons  of  our  common  progenitor  was  a  tiller  of  the  ground, 
and  the  other  was  a  keeper  of  sheep.  Noah  and  his  descendants 
after  the  flood,  planted  and  cultivated  vineyards,  as  well  as  reared 
cities  and  established  kingdoms.  Many  of  the  laws  of  Moses  have 
for  their  object  the  regulation  of  flocks  and  herds,  and  the  cultiva- 
tion and  enjoyment  of  fields.  The  children  of  Israel,  on  coming 
to  the  possession  of  the  fair  land  of  Canaan,  after  wandering  in  the 
wilderness  a  period  of  forty  years,  addressed  themselves  to  its  cul- 
tivation. When  the  prophet  Elijah  passed  by  and  cast  his  mantle 
upon  Elisha,  he  found  him  ploughing  in  the  field  with  twelve  yoke 
of  oxen  before  him,  himself  with  the  twelfth;  and,  the  servants 
and  oxen  of  the  affluent  Idumean  were  engaged  in  the  same  pur- 
suit, when  they  fell  a  prey  to  the  rapacity  of  the  Sabeans.  Many 
of  the  most  interesting  and  poetic  incidents  of  scripture  are  touch- 
ing the  harvesting  and  gleaning  of  fields,  and  other  rural  occupa- 
tions, and  its  pages  are  replete  with  descriptions  of  the  man- 
agement of  flocks  and  herds,  sheep  shearings,  thrashing  floors  and 
other  evidences  of  husbandry. 

The  ancient  Egyptians  tilled  the  ground  with  so  much  success, 
that  they  were  enabled  to  withstand  the  consuming  influences  of  a 
famine  of  seven  years  duration,  and  to  supply  their  neighbors  who 
were  destitute  and  in  want,  with  corn  from  the  royal  granaries. 
And  although  in  their  blind  spirit  of  idolatrous  devotion  they  at- 
tributed the  invention  of  an  art  so  useful  to  their  god  Osiris,  they 
applied  their  energies  to  aid  the  profuse  liberality  of  nature,  or,  as 
they  believed,  the  munificence  of  their  deity,  and  rendered  the  fer- 


4 


tile  banks  of  the  Nile  still  more  productive  by  irrigation,  drains  and 
embankments. 

The  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  Greece  were  strangers  to  this 
primeval  art,  and  subsisted  upon  the  spontaneous  productions  of 
the  earth,  until  they  were  led  by  the  Egyptians,  to  whom  they  were 
indebted  for  the  science  which  has  rendered  classic  Greece  immor- 
tal, to  its  successful  cultivation.  But  they  too,  true  to  their  idola- 
trous instincts,  attributed  the  productions  of  the  soil — the  rewards 
of  their  own  industry,  to  the  kindly  care  and  keeping  of  their  tute- 
lar goddess,  Ceres.  In  the  glowing  and  poetic  age  of  Homer,  La- 
ertes laid  aside  the  kingly  robes  of  office  for  the  peaceful  pursuits 
of  agriculture.  Hesiod  sung  of  the  labors  of  the  field ;  Xenophon 
and  Aristotle  and  other  Greek  writers  of  eminence  furnish  numer- 
ous and  interesting  notices  of  rural  affairs :  and  the  Carthaginians, 
by  agriculture,  prepared  Sicily  to  be  the  granary  of  Rome. 

The  ancient  inhabitants  of  all-conquering  Rome,  divided  their  time 
and  energies  between  war  and  husbandly.  Cincinnatus  came  from 
the  plough  to  discharge  the  duties  of  the  office  of  dictator,  and  sought 
the  earliest  opportunity  consistent  With  his  country's  honor,  to 
lay  aside  the  power  and  dignity  of  station  and  return  to  the  employ- 
ment from  whence  he  was  called :  and  Regulus,  a  Roman  senator, 
in  a  spirit  worthy  of  imitation  by  modern  legislators,  sought  retire- 
mentffrom  the  senate  for  a  season,  that  he  might  preserve  his  little 
farm  from  dilapidation  and  ruin.  Whether  the  hardy  Roman 
pitched  his  tent  or  ploughed  his  field — whether  he  wielded  the 
weapons  of  war,  or  the  implements  of  husbandry — the  sword  or 
the  ploughshare — the  spear  or  the  pruning  hook,  his  action  was 
characterized  by  the  same  unyielding,  irrepressible  energy  and  vig- 
or. The  laudable  pursuit  of  agriculture  was  not  neglected  by  the 
patricians  until  the  seductive  influences  of  wealth  introduced  lux- 
ury and  artificial  manners  with  their  corrupting  consequences,  and 
even  then,  many,  cherishing  the  early  virtues  of  their  nation,  con- 
tinued to  give  the  subject  their  personal  attention  ; — while  others, 
like  political  farmers  of  modern  times,  preferred  to  farm  by  proxy, 
and  performed  it  by  their  slaves.  The  attachment  of  this  people 
to  the  pursuits  of  agriculture  may  be  found  in  the  writings  of  Pliny, 
Cato  and  Virgil,  all  of  which  abound  with  practical  suggestions  on 
the  various  duties  of  the  husbandman.  The  ox  was  scarcely  less 
esteemed  by  them  than  by  the  ancient  Egyptians,  by  whom  he 
was  worshipped,  and  their  books  contain  numerous  suggestions  for 
breeding,  breaking,  feeding  and  working  of  this,  their  favorite  ani- 
mal. They  drove  their  plough,  a  rude  implement,  scarcely  an  apol- 
ogy for  the  utensil  of  this  day,  with  and  without  wheels,  with  and 
without  coultres,  and  with  shares  of  various  kinds  ;  and  they  tried, 
but  with  what  success  is  perhaps  uncertain,  the  experiment  of  reap- 
ing with  machines.  Hay  making  was  performed  by  them  after  the 
manner  of  the  present  day,  and  the  practice  of  fallowing  their 
land,  and  of  weeding  and  watering  their  crops,  was  universal. 

Wc  have  then,  the  high  authority  of  history,  sacred  arid  profane, 
for  declaring  that  agriculture  is  a  dignified  and  time  honored  call- 


ing — ordained  and  favored  of  heaven,  and  sanctioned  by  experi- 
ence ;  and  we  aro  invited  to  its  pursuit  by  the  rewards  of  the  past 
and  the  present,  and  the  rich  promises  of  the  future.  While  tho 
fierce  spirit  of  war,  with  its  embattled  legions,  has,  in  its  proud  tri- 
umphs, "whelmed  nations  in  blood,  and  wrapped  cities  in  fire," 
and  filled  the  land  with  lamentation  and  mourning,  it  has  not  brought 
peace  or  happiness  to  a  single  hearth — dried  the  tears  of  the  wid- 
ows, or  hushed  the  cries  of  the  orphans  it  has  made — bound  up 
or  soothed  one  crushed  or  broken  spirit — nor  heightened  the  joys 
of  domestic  or  social  life  in  a  single  bosom.  But  how  many  dark 
recesses  of  the  earth  has  agriculture  illumined  with  its  blessings! 
How  many  firesides  has  it  lighted  up  with  radiant  gladness  !  How 
many  hearts  has  it  made  buoyant  with  domestic  hope  !  How  of- 
ten, like  the  good  Samaritan,. has  it  alleviated  want  and  misery, 
while  the  priest  and  Levite  of  power  have  passed  by  on  the  oth- 
er side  !  How  many  family  altars,  and  gathering  places  of  affec- 
tion, has  it  erected !  How  many  desolate  homes  has  it  cheered  by  its 
consolations  !  How  have  its  peaceful  and  gentle  influences  filled 
the  land  with  plenteousness  and  riches,  and  made  it  vocal  with 
praise  and  thanksgiving  ! 

It  has  pleased  the  benevolent  author  *  of  our  existence,  to 
set  in  boundless  profusion  before  us,  the  necessary  elements 
foi  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  enjoyment.,  Blessings  clus- 
ter around  us  like  fruits  of  the  land  of  promise,  and  scienco 
unfolds  her  treasures  and  invites  us  to  partake,  literally  without 
money  and  without  price.  The  propensities  of  our  nature 
as  well  as  the  philosophy  of  our  being,  serve  to  remind  us  that 
man  was  formed  for  care  and  labor — for  the  acquisition  and  en- 
joyment of  property — for  society  and  govcrment — to  wrestle  with 
the  elements  around  him ;  and,  that  by  an  active  exercise  of  his 
powers  and  faculties  alone,  can  he  answer  the  ends  of  his  crea- 
tion, or  exhibit  his  exalted  attributes.  His  daily  wants,  in  all  con- 
ditions of  life,  prompt  him  to  exertion  ;  and  the  spirit  of  acquisition 
so  deeply  implanted  in  the  human  breast,  that  "ruling  passion 
strong  in  death,"  so  universally  diffused  through  the  whole  family 
ot  man,  is  the  parent  of  that  laudable  enterprise  which  has  caused 
the  wilderness  to  bud  and  blossom  like  the  rose — planted  domestic 
enjoyments  in  the  lair  of  the  beast  of  prey,  and  transformed  the 
earth  from  an  uncultivated  wild  into  one  vast  store  house  of  sub- 
sistence and  enjoyment.  What  can  be  more  acceptable  to  the  pa- 
triot or  the  philanthropist,  than  to  behold  the  great  mass  of  man- 
kind raised  above  the  degrading  influences  of  tyranny  and  indolence 
to  the  rational  enjoyment  of  the  bounties  of  their  Creator  ?  To 
see,  in  the  productions  of  man's  magic  powers,  tho  cultivated 
country — the  fragrant  meadow — the  waving  harvest — the  smiling 
garden,  and  the  tasteful  dwelling,  and  himself  chastened  by  the 
precepts  of  religion,  and  elevated  by  the  refinements  of  science,  par- 
taking of  the  fruits  of  his  own  industry,  with  the  proud  conscious- 
ness that  he  eats  not  the  bread  of  idleness  or  fraud  :  that  his  gains 
are  not  wet  with  the  tears  of  misfortune  nor  wrung  from  his  fellow. 


5 


by  the  devices  of  avarice  or  extortion  :  his  joys  heightened,  his 
sorrows  alleviated,  and  his  heart  rectified  by  the  cheering  voice  and 
heaven  born  influences  of  woman.  Well  mav  he  sit  down  under 
his  own  vine  and  fig  tree  without  fear  of  molestation,  and  his 
nightly  repose  be  more  quiet  than  that  of  the  stately  monarch  of  the 
east  upon  his  down  of  cygnets,  or  the  voluptuous  Sybarite  upon  his 
bed  of  roses. 

The  present  occasion  will  scarcely  be  deemed  suitable  for  spec- 
ulations, by  him  who  addresses  you,  upon.the  detailed  processes  of 
husbandry — the  relative  strength  of  soils — utility  of  grains  and  gras- 
ses, and  the  proper  period  for  seed  time  and  harvest.  These 
should  be  taught  by  other  lips,  where  the  science  is  inculcated, 
rather  than  where  we  have  met  together  to  celebrate  its  tri- 
umphs. 

The  prosperity  of  those  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  de- 
pends not  alone  upon  the  successful  cultivation  of  the  field,  and  the 
judicious  management  of  the  farm.  These,  to  be  sure,  are  of  pri- 
mary importance,  and  indispensable  to  the  success  of  the  underta- 
king ;  but  there  are  other  subjects  which  deeply  concern  their  in- 
terests and  well  being,  without  a  knowledge  of  which  they  must 
fail  to  enjoy  the  high  station  they  were  destined  to  occupy  in  the 
scale  of  social  and  political  being. 

The  farmer  cannot  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  nor  figs  of  thistles ; 
nor  can  he  reap  the  fruits  of  knowledge  without  its  care  and  culti- 
vation. The  vast  numerical  majority  of  those  engaged  in  this 
pursuit,  over  all  others,  shows  that  our  moral,  social,  and  political 
condition,  is  in  their  keeping.  It  proves  the  high  privileges  they 
enjoy,  as  well  as  the  responsibility  which  rests  upon  them.  Priv- 
ileges which  they  cannot  duly  estimate,  and  responsibilities 
which  they  cannot  properly  discharge  without  the  acqui- 
sition of  general  knowledge,  and  a  high  cultivation  of  the  moral 
powers  and  faculties.  With  these  they  may  raise  and  maintain 
their  own  standard  of  intelligence,  and  control,  for  good  or  for 
evil,  the  destinies  of  government. 

The  mind  of  the  professional  man  is  engaged  with  his  particu- 
lar calling,  striving  to  become  cniment  and  useful,  struggling  per- 
chance, with  rivalry  on  cither  hand,  realizing  "  how  hard  it  is 
to  climb  the  steep  where  fame's  proud  temple  shines  from  far." 
His  mental  vision  is  fixed  upon  a  single  object.  His  mind  is 
accustomed  to  run  in  grooves  fashioned  by  his  pursuit — all 
else  palls  upon  the  sense,  and  he  too  often  lives  and  dies  the 
mere  creature  of  his  profession.  The  merchant  is  buried  in  com- 
merce, and  the  mechanic  absorbed  with  inventions  and  improve- 
ments. But  to  the  fanner,  devoted  to  no  theories,  and  wedded 
to  no  system,  with  the  ample  volume  of  nature  constantly  before 
him  unfolding  her  mysteries  and  spreading  out  her  allurements  ; 
the  deep  fountains  of  Knowledge  stand  open,  and  all  combines  to 
inspire  him  with  a  love  for  the  sublime  and  beautiful.  The  glory 
of  the  morning  sunbeam,  emblem  of  hope  and  gladness — the 
pearly  dew  which  glitters  in  his  pathway — the  (lowers  which 


7 


smile  around  him  and  the  rejoicing  of  animated  nature,  tend  to  fill 
him  with  sentiments  of  love  and  adoration,  and  to  elevate  and  re- 
fine his  heart. 

It  is  a  fallacy  no  less  mischievous  than  idle,  to  suppose  that  there 
is  no  learning  but  the  learning  of  the  schools,  or  that  in  the  phrase 
of  the  day,  "getting  an  education"  neccsarily  requires  the  individu- 
al to  abandon,  for  the  time  being,  all  other  employments,  and  de- 
vote himself  alternately  to  study  and  indolence.  The  pursuits 
of  the  farmer,  with  proper  economy  and  a  judicious  division  of 
time,  are  consistent  with  the  prosecution  of  science  and  the  acqui- 
sition of  knowledge;  and  of  that  knowledge,  too,  which  will  ena- 
ble him  to  discharge  all  the  relations  of  life  with  as  much  prudence, 
understanding,  and  fidelity,  as  him  whose  only  pursuit  is  study,  and 
which  mingling  its  streams  with  the  mighty  current  of  human  af- 
fairs, will  teach  industry,  temperance,  and  frugality,  and  carry  re- 
finement and  intelligence  to  the  lowliest  cabin  of  the  plains,  and 
the  remotest  cottage  of  the  mountain. 

The  moral  sublimity  of  the  scene  is  equalled  only  by  the  magni- 
tude of  our  country,  the  diversity  of  her  interests  and  the  vastness 
of  her  population.  When  the  mind's  eye  tires  with  contempla- 
ting the  untold  productions  and  resources  of  the  Empire  State,  with 
her  fertile  soil — her  broad  rivers  and  inland  seas — her  exten- 
sive territory — her  magnificent  improvements — her  boundless 
commerce,  and  her  institutions  of  religion,  charity,  and  learning  ; 
let  it  glance  for  a  moment,  for  a  more  extended  view,  at  the  infant 
giant  of  the  west.  The  wild  horse  of  the  prairie  now  draws  the 
plough  over  soil  where  erst  he  was  wont  to  gambol — the  bark 
which  bears  the  hardy  emigrant  to  his  distant  home,  returns 
deep  freighted  with  the  productions  of  his  toil — the  shrill  war  whoop 
has  died  away  in  the  hum  of  busy  industry — and  shall  I  add, 
painful  and  melancholy  as  is  the  reflection,  rum,  the  white  man's 
tomahawk,  is  fast  doing  its  work  of  death  upon  the  Pawnee  and 
the  Sioux  of  the  border.  Stricken  and  persecuted  red  man  ! 
How  few  are  the  hearts  that  will  bleed  at  the  recital  of  your  woes 
or  the  tears  that  will  fall  around  your  lowly  death  bed  1  Look  for 
the  last  time  upon  the  little  hillocks  where  repose  the  remains  of 
those  you  loved,  and  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream  where  you 
sported  in  childhood,  or  listened  to  the  shadowy  traditions  of  the 
past  !  The  mighty  warriors  of  your  nation  are  driven  from  their 
rustic  firesides — they  are  hurried  to  and  fro  like  withered  forest 
leaves  before  the  blasts  of  autumn,  and  the  few  who  yet  linger  will 
soon  cease  to  tremble !  May  the  deep  wrongs  which  have  been 
visited  upon  your  people,  and  the  wild  revenge  with  which  they 
have  been  repaid,  alike  find  mercy  and  forgiveness  at  the  great 
council  fire  of  eternity,  and  the  red  man  be  ushered  into  his  hap- 
py hunting  ground,  in  a  forest  of  fadeless  and  never-dying  beauty. 

It  is  the  high  prerogative  of  the  farmer  to  say  who  shall  ad- 
minister the  various  departments  of  our  government,  and  to  in- 
dicate its  policy.  To  determine  whether  the  noble  ship  of  state, 
in  which  we  are  all  embarked  in  common,  shall  ride  proudly  on- 


s 


ward  to  her  port  of  destination — to  her  anchorage  in  tho  harbor  of 
happiness  and  peace;  or  whether  she  shall  be  torn  by  the  angry 
and  conflicting  elements  of  strife,  tossed  upon  the  waves  of  folly,  or 
wrecked  upon  the  shoals  of  ambition.  The  farmer  is  the  first  to  en- 
joy the  benefits  of  a  wise  and  just,  and  to  taste  the  bitter  consequen- 
ces which  inevitably  flow  from  an  erroneous,  administration  of  pub- 
lic affairs.  If  government  is  judiciously  and  economically  admin- 
istered ;  if  industry  is  not  burthened  by  debt  and  taxation ;  if  all  are 
protected  and  none  especially  favored;  its  blessings,  "like  the 
dews  of  heaven,  will  descend  upon  all,  unseen  and  unfelt, 
save  in  the  richness  and  fullness  they  contribute  to  produce."  But 
if  government,  like  tho  monarchies  of  the  old  world,  is  placed  be- 
yond, or  elevated  above  the  influence  or  condition  of  the  mass  ; 
if  it  seeks  to  entrench  itself  about  with  office  and  patronage,  and 
relies  for  its  strength  upon  its  parasites  and  placemen,  and  not 
upon  the  affections  of  the  people ;  it  cannot  win  by  its  justice, 
though,  for  a  time,  it  may  terrify  by  its  power. 

Our  benign  form  of  government — founded  as  it  is  in  the  mild 
authority  of  opinion,  and  upheld,  like  the  broad  fabric  of  social  or- 
der, only  by  virtue  and  intelligence,  is  emphatically  a  govern- 
menf  of  the  People — a  government  of  benevolence,  humanity  and 
peace.  The  mighty  pulsations  of  its  heart-strings  vibrate  re- 
sponsive to  the  ebbs  and  flows  of  popular  action  and  feeling ;  and 
so  lively  is  tho  sympathy,  and  so  indissoluble  is  the  union,  that 
the  errors  of  the  government  must  necessarily  bo  the  errors 
of  the  people.  It  therefore  becomes  the  farmer,  next  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  field,  and  the  discharge  of  his  domestic  and  social  rela- 
tions to  possess  himself  of  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  economy  of 
human  government  and  of  political  science.  By  this,  it  is  not  in- 
tended to  invite  to  the  study  of  party  scrambles — the  science  of 
political  rewards  and  punishments — of  clamorous  partisans  for 
the  honors  of  office  or  the  emoluments  of  place  and  station — tho 
patriotic  shouts  of  tho  latest  victors,  or  the  desponding  tone  of 
those  who  have  just  ceased  to  draw  their  sustenance  from  the  pub- 
lic treasury ;  but  that  true  political  science,  in  which  the  broad 
and  deep  foundations  of  our  government  arc  established ;  which  in- 
culcates the  pure  and  elevated  sentiments  of  justice,  virtue,  equal- 
ity and  the  rights  of  man:  Which  teaches  that  the  success  of  a  peo- 
ple walks  hand  in  hand  with  their  industry  and  frugality;  that  all 
wealth  is  the  production  of  human  labor ;  that  it  is  the  legitimate 
province  of  government  to  protect  its  citizens  in  tho  enjoyment  of 
their  industry,  but  not  to  attempt  tho  vain  and  idle  experiment  of 
accumulating  for  them ;  that  all  power  or  advantago  conferred  by 
legislation  upon  one,  is  taken  from  another,  or  from  the  mass,  and  is 
productive  of  inequality  and  injustice;  and  that  any  system  of  gov- 
ernment which  in  a  time  of  peace,  appropriates  the  industry'  of  its 
people  to  any  purpose  oxcept  to  ensure  its  own  enlightoncd,  humane 
and  economical  administration,  is  unwise,  and  pernicious,  and  is 
conducted  upon  mistaken  and  erroneous  principles. 

It  cannot,  nor  ought  it  to  be  concealed,  that  a  false  and  vitiated 
taste  hat  for  the  last  few  vears  extensively  prevailed,  though  we 


9 


have  now  the  gratifying  evidences  of  a  more  healthy  feeling.  That 
commercial  cholera  which  swept  over  the  land,  infecting  all  clas- 
ses with  its  poisonous  influences,  and  causing  the  productive  indus- 
try of  the  country  to  be  abandoned  or  neglected,  for  the  inordinate 
but  ideal  gains  of  unhealthy  traffic,  while  our  bread  and  clothing 
were  imported  from  abroad,  cannot  be  too  highly  censured,  nor  too 
well  remembered.  At  the  time  when  our  affairs,  public  and  private, 
were  at  the  nadir  of  depression,  and  cargoes  of  wheat  were  brought 
to  our  fertile  land  from  the  shores  of  the  Baltic,  an  eminent  banker 
of  the  house  of  Rothschild  was  solicited  to  make  an  investment  in 
our  public  stocks,  which  he  declined,  by  declaring  with  bitter  em- 
phasis, that  he  thought  but  little  of  a  country  which  imported  its 
bread.  This  period  of  delusion,  to  be  sure,  has  passed.  The  fear- 
ful density  of  the  storm  which  lowered  over  us  has  abated,  and  we 
descry  the  radiant  bow  of  beauty  and  of  promise.  The  belief 
that  man  cannot  violate  the  injunctions  of  the  Almighty  with  impu- 
nity, again  finds  support  and  countenance,  and  the  subtle  device  of 
indolence  and  fraud,  that  production  from  the  soil  could  be  disre- 
garded and  neglected  by  a  people — that  one  could  borrow  the 
promises  of  another,  pass  them  to  a  third,  and  thus  enrich  the 
whole,  has  had  its  rise,  progress,  decline  and  fall.  And  yet,  during 
all  this  period,  agriculture,  in  point  of  theory,  was  elevated  to  the 
very  pinnacle  of  fame.  The  unbending  integrity,  sterling  worth 
and  superior  intelligence  of  the  "laboring  classes,"  formed  a  stan- 
dard text  for  commentaries  for  festive  orators.  The  same  senti- 
ments were  echoed  from  the  bar,  the  desk  and  the  legislative  fo- 
rum, and  the  press  lent  its  giant  power  to  swell  the  volume  of  in- 
cense and  adulation.  Politicians  descanted  upon  the  inbred  vir- 
tues of  the  "  bone  and  muscle"  of  the  land,  until  we  might  well 
have  supposed  that  to  the  farmer,  like  the  ancient  Pharisees,  was 
accorded  the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts,  and  greetings  in  the  mar- 
kets. These  flights  of  affection  and  regard,  however,  came  peri- 
odically, like  migratory  birds,  with  the  kindly  influences  of  the  sea- 
son, and  returned  again  at  the  approach  of  the  chilling  frosts 
which  succeeded  them,  and  fields  were  cultivated  only  in  imagina- 
tion and  harvested  in  eulogy. 

Many  erroneous  conceits  and  idle  inventions  of  these  times  have 
already  found  their  corrective  in  an  enlightened  public  sentiment ; 
but  many  of  the  errors  of  the  past  remain  the  errors  of  the  pres- 
ent. While  agriculture  has  been  rescued  from  this  dishonorable 
depression,  and  is  receiving  practical  attention  from  so  many  of 
our  most  worthy  citizens,  whose  efforts  cannot  be  too  highly  ap- 
preciated, there  are  yet  too  many,  especially  of  our  youth,  who 
seem  to  regard  labor  as  a  menial  office,  and  worship  at  the  shrine 
of  agriculture  after  the  manner  of  the  publican — in  the  distance. 
They  have  turned  their  backs  upon  this,  the  noblest  of  human  em- 
ployments, to  herd  together  in  cities  and  villages — begin  without 
means  where  they  should  leave  off'  with — swell  the  hungry  column 
of  non-producers,  already  large  enough  to  cat  out  the  productive 
industry  of  the  country,  and  without  any  useful  calling,  ruch  heed- 


10 

lessly  into  debt,  marvel  at  the  scarcity  of  money,  and  await,  the 
workings  of  that  miraculous  legislation  which  is  to  usher  in  the  ad- 
vent of  "better  times." 

It  is  not  the  intention  to  institute  invidious  comparisons  between 
the  various  pursuits  and  occupations  of  life,  but  to  assert  the  belief 
that  the  undue  proportion  engaged  in  professional  and  commercial 
pursuits,  and  particularly  those  having  no  pursuit  whatever,  tends 
to  the  prejudice  of  both  business  and  morals.  By  it,  the  profes- 
sions are  crowded  and  depressed,  and  rendered  a  burthen  rather 
than  a  blessing — over  trading  is  stimulated  and  bankruptcy'indu- 
ced  ;  and  last,  though  not  least,  so  many  competitors  in  idleness 
are  introduced,  that  this  patriotic  calling  must  inevitably  fall  into 
more  than  its  wonted  disrepute.  It  is  time  to  correct,  with  une- 
quivocal emphasis,  the  false  and  mistaken  sentiment  which  permits 
men  to  starve  in  a  profession,  or  subsist  upon  the  wreck  of  fraud- 
ulent bankruptcy  in  experimental  merchandize,  rather  than  to 
earn  an  honest  livelihood  by  the  labor  of  their  hands,  and  discharge 
with  fidelity  all  their  duties  in  the  varied  relations  of  life.  These 
errors,  are  the  errors  of  the  society  which  fails  to  condemn  and  dis- 
countenance their  existence,  rather  than  the  errors  of  individuals, 
who  have  neglected  to  learn  that 

"Honor  and  shame  from  no  condition  rise." 

And  is  it  not  lamentably  true,  that  the  extreme  doctrines  of  po- 
litical rewards  and  punishments,  which  have  practically  obtained, 
by  general  consent,  for  the  last  few  years,  and  have  been  upheld 
and  justified  by  all  parties  who  have  had  the  dispensing  of  patron- 
age, have  done  much,  very  much,  to  withdraw  men  from  the  sober 
pursuits  of  industry,  and  induce  them  to  embark  their  little  all  up- 
on a  sea  of  political  troubles — to  forego  the  cultivation  of  the  little 
farm  where  peace  and  plenty  are  the  sure  rewards  of  industrious 
and  frugal  habits,  to  gain  a  precarious  subsistence  by  hanging 
upon  the  skirts  of  a  party,  politicans  by  trade,  and  office  seekers 
from  principle ! 

That,  in  the  administration  of  government,  the  views  of  those 
charged  with  the  various  leading  departments,  should  correspond 
with  the  views  of  him  that  presides  over  the  whole,  that  harmony 
and  efficiency  may  unite  their  influences,  is  not  denied.  But  that 
individuals  who  light  the  lamps  of  a  city,  sweep  its  streets,  or 
cleanse  its  gutters,  should  be  given  to  understand  that  the  tenure 
of  their  place  depends,  not  upon  their  industry  or  fidelity,  but  up- 
on the  success  of  a  political  party,  is  fraught  with  ruinous  and  de- 
moralizing tendencies,  and  bodes  no  good  to  the  integrity  of  the 
elective  franchise. 

But  a  sentiment  so  erroneous,  and  yet  so  universal,  will  finally 
be  corrected  by  the  unrestricted  operations  of  public  opinion,  a 
tribunal  to  which  all  are  amenable,  and  from  which  there  is  no 
appeal.  And  when  the  votaries  of  error  and  delusion  have  ex- 
hausted themselves  in  mistaken  efforts,  agriculture  will  receive  and 
reward  them  still.  Mother  earth,  like  the  father  of  the  Prodigal 
Son,  (lollies  and  feeds  her  children  who  return  to  her  acknowlcd- 


11 


ging  their  wanderings,  though  they  have  wasted  t  heir  substance  in 
riotous  living.  Many  have  already  returned,  and  yet  there  is  room. 
Agriculture  is  the  only  pursuit  which  cannot  be  overdone.  Com- 
merce may  be  depressed,  and  languish  by  its  own  efforts — the 
professions  become  crowded,  and  skill  and  learning  go  unemploy- 
ed and  unrewarded — the  mechanic  may  glut  the  market  with  his 
wares,  until  he  cannot  even  barter  them  for  the  necessaries  of  life — 
but  the  earth  was  never  over  cultivated,  nor  does  it,  like  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  refuse  employment  and  reward.  And  the  reward, 
too,  is  liberal  in  proportion  as  the  application  or  importunity  is 
earnest. 

The  agriculturist  can  do  more  to  diffuse  general  intelligence  a- 
mong  his  fellow  men,  than  those  of  any  other  pursuit  of  lite  ;  and 
having  the  ability,  he  should  exert  it  to  guard  against  and  arrest 
the  numerous  impositions  of  the  age.  There  have  always  been 
and  we  have  reason  to  believe  always  will  be,  those  who  subsist 
upon  the  darkness  of  the  human  intellect,  and  traffic  in  the  cre- 
dulity of  mankind.  No  sooner  is  one  delusion  exhausted,  or  an 
imposture  exposed,  than  another,  if  possible,  more  impudent  and 
shameless,  is  substituted  in  its  stead,  and  ignorance  and  supersti- 
tion vie  with  each  other  in  swelling  the  train  of  its  votaries.  In 
the  old  world,  the  genuine  clippings  from  the  toe  nails  of  St.  Peter, 
which  have  been  sold  for  enormous  prices  to  the  devout  at  various 
times  would  probably  load  a  camel ;  and  the  wood  which  is  pre- 
served and  cherished  as  sacred  relics,  and  exhibited  for  gain,  as 
fragments  of  the  true  cross,  in  every  country  of  Europe,  would 
build  a  ship  of  the  line.  In  the  new,  it  finds  amusement  in  exhu- 
ming the  fossil  remains  of  a  golden  revelation,  whose  cabalistic 
works  are  more  occult  and  mysterious  than  the  Sybilline  leaves 
of  mythology  ;  and  anon  it  finds  indemnity  for  the  omissions 
of  the  past  in  a  supplementary  revelation  which,  in  view  of 
the  subject  is  most  appropriately  on  brass.  It  penetrates 
the  future  at  its  own  convenience,  and  calculates  the  final  confla- 
gration as  an  astronomer  calculates  an  eclipse,  and  animal  mag- 
netism, fixing  her  mental  eye  upon  physical  objects,  sets  credulity 
agape,  and  snores  the  last  sad  requiem.  In  medicine  it  seeks  relief 
in  vermifuges,  pain  extractors,  and  elixirs  of  life,  which,  if  applied 
in  proper  quantities,  and  at  appropriate  periods,  would  not  only 
enable  man  to  clothe  himself  with  perpetual  youth,  and  laugh  at 
the  infirmities  of  age,  but  to  conquer  his  last  great  enemy,  and  cheat 
the  grave  of  its  victim.  It  robs  political  economy  of  its  simplicity 
and  truth,  and  invests  it  with  the  recondite  mysteries  which  envelop- 
ed heathen  philosophy  and  benevolently  discovers  panaceas  and  re- 
storatives which  are  to  correct  all  the  imperfections  of  our  nature, 
and  avert  the  complicated  ills  to  which  poor  frail  humanity  is  heir. 

All  impostures  have  one  feature  in  common — that  of  first  pro- 
viding for  themselves,  in  pretending  to  care  for  others,  in  heralding 
their  own  purity  and  benevolence,  and  in  recommending  to  the 
world,  in  the  true  language  of  the  craft,  to  submit  to  the  prescrip- 
tion, and  "beware  of  counterfeits."    Ignorance  is  the  meat  upon 


12 


which  imposture  feeds,  and  it  is  deprived  of  aliment  in  proportion 
as  knowledge  is  increased.    And  the  same  standard  of  intelligence 

mm  •  •  ^3 

which  renders  labor  attractive — which  teaches  that  it  is  honora- 
ble, and  inculcates  lessons  of  virtue  and  economy  in  domestic  and 
social  life,  will  dispel  the  remnants  of  superstition  and  bigotry 
which  the  dark  ages  have  left  behind  them,  unmask  and  expose  the 
charlatan  and  the  impostor,  and  inspire  sentiments  of  virtuous 
patriotism,  the  most  elevated  and  enduring.  But  this  standard 
whether  designed  to  govern  public  or  private  morals — the  social 
or  political  relations — the  economy  of  the  fireside  or  the  economy 
of  the  legislative  hall,  must  be  raised  and  maintained  by  the  author- 
ity of  opinion  alone,  and  not  by  sumptuary  laws,  or  restrictive  en- 
actments. It  must  be  enforced  by  the  moral,  and  not  the 
penal  code — by  the  school  master,  and  not  by  the  government  offi- 
cial. It  must  be  engraved  upon  the  tablet  of  the  heart,  and  not 
written  upon  the  pages  of  the  statute. 

The  British  statesman,  hugging  his  peevish  conceits,  and  cher- 
ishing that  most  impious  of  dogmas,  the  "divine  right  of  kings,"  is 
unable  to  conceive  how  personal  safety  or  the  well-being  of  so- 
ciety can  be  preserved  by  opinion,  or  how  a  government  can  con- 
tain the  elements  of  strength  and  duration  which  rests  alone  upon 
popular  intelligence,  and  thrills  with  every  fibre  of  its  frame,  and 
hence  his  belief  in  the  necessity  of  placing  the  government  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  "lawless  multitude."  But  a  purer  and  sublimcr  creed 
has  established  the  welcome  truth,  that  there  is  both  strength  and 
duration  in  a  government  of  opinion,  and  that  it  is  wise  to  reject  the 
principles  of  a  physical  for  those  of  an  intellectual  age.  Liberty  is 
the  price  and  the  reward  of  eternal  vigilance,  and  its  lamp  burns 
with  a  brighter  and  purer  glow  when  surrounded  by  intelligence 
and  freedom,  than  when  nursed  by  a  restrictive  policy  of  artificial 
morals,  which  lights  its  farthing  candle  to  aid  the  meridian  splen- 
dor. Our  government  is  our  people— -our  people  our  government. 
Our  institutions,  domestic,  social  and  political,  arc  founded  in  free- 
dom, and  he  who  aids  in  forming  the  first  code  of  restrictions, 
however  specious  the  pretence,  or  by  whatever  name  it  may  be 
dignified,  will  have  aided  in  forging  one  link  in  the  great  chain  of 
despotism,  which,  if  riveted  upon  us,  will  load  down  the  energies 
of  our  people  like  the  limbs  of  a  Trcnck  in  the  dungeons  of  Galtz 
and  Magdeburg.  Xcrscs  cast  fetters  into  the  sea  to  restrain  the. 
dashing  of  the  waves,  and  Canute  stretched  out  his  puny  sceptre  to 
proscribe  its  limits;  but  the  mighty  waters  rolled  on  in  mockery  of 
their  power.  And  he  who  essays  to  restrict  the  moral  elements 
within  the  boundaries  established  by  his  own  conceits,  will  see  his 
power  derided  and  his  impotence  laughed  to  scorn.  They  may  at 
limes  1)0  lashed  by  the  fury  of  the  tempest,  the  waves  run  moun- 
tains high,  and  threaten  danger  and  destruction:  but  anon,  they 
will  be  purified  by  their  own  agitations,  and  repose  again  in  the  se- 
rene nnd  beautiful.  If  our  republic  endures,  as  it  must  and  w  ill, 
its  elements  of  strength  must  be  freedom  a  nd  intelligence.  So 
Jong  as  men  in  public  or  private  life  are  virtuous  for  virtue's  sake — 


13 


for  the  rewards  it  bestows — there  will  be  an  earnest  of  safely  and 
abiding  hope  ; — but  when  they  shall  become  virtuous  from  neces- 
sity, honest  upon  compulsion,  and  frugal  pursuant  to  statute,  \v<^ 
may  listen  for  the  knell  of  departing  liberty  and  glory.  We  arc 
now  struggling  with  the  mighty  experiment,  whether  perfect  free- 
dom will  ensure  duration,  and  endeavoring  to  establish  as  truth, 
that  the  whole  are  as  virtuous  as  a  part.  The  agricultural  popu- 
lation form  the  sheet  anchor  of  the  republic — the  Christian's  con- 
solation— the  patriot's  hope.  It  is  for  them  to  foster  and  preserve 
that  pure  and  elevated  standard  of  morals  and  intelligence  with 
the  mass,  which  will  enable  us  to  outride  the  storm  that  has  over- 
whelmed and  blotted  from  existence  the  governments  of  the  old 
world.  The  grandeur  and  beauty  of  Egypt,  mistress  of  the  arts, 
has  vanished  from  the  earth  like  the  foot  prints  of  the  traveller  in 
the  desert.  She  is  illustrious  only  in  her  lofty  pyramids:  and,  apt 
emblem  of  herself,  her  gloomy  repositories  for  the  dead.  Hum- 
bled and  despairing,  she  lies  manacled  at  the  foot  of  the  barbarian, 
and  hugs  her  chains  in  silence.  Greece,  once  the  light  of  science 
and  learning,  marred  and  despoiled,  is  struggling  to  prolong  a  de- 
graded existence,  with  the  foot  of  the  conqueror  upon  her  neck„ 
And  Rome,  whose  victorious  banner  waved  triumphantly  over  a 
vanquished  world,  has  degenerated  to  a  land  of  fiddlers  and  dan- 
cers. They  fell,  too,  in  the  moment  of  their  haughtiness  and  pride. 
The  faded  monuments  of  their  existence  and  greatness  stand  as 
beacons  to  mankind  to  warn  them  of  the  dangers  of  war,  luxury  and 
ambition. 

In  pleasing  contrast  the  moral  grandeur  of  our  republic  rises  up, 
blooming  with  perennial  beauty  and  smiling  above  the  ruin,  like  flow- 
ers of  spring  succeeding  the  desolations  of  winter  :  The  land  of  the 
free — the  home  of  the  brave — the  asylum  of  the  oppressed  :  Its 
foundation  freedom — its  structure  virtue  and  intelligence,  and  its 
strength,  equality :  Proclaiming  to  the  world  the  gratifying  truth, 
that  man  is  capable  of  self-government ;  and  that  the  path  of  vir- 
tue for  governments,  as  well  as  individuals,  is  the  path  of  happi- 
ness and  peace. 


REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES. 


Report  on  Cattle, 

Committee. — Hewlett  Townsend,  David  S.  Mills,  Warren  Mitchell, 

Increase  G.  Carpenter. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  award  premiums  on  Cattle  at  the  Se- 
cond Annual  Fair  of  the  Queens  County  Agricultural  Society,  report 
that  the  display  was  such  as  to  afford  them  much  gratification,  and  to 
reflect  much  credit  on  the  County. 

The  Committee  awarded  the  premiums  as  follows  : — 

ON  THOROUGH  BRED  CATTLE. 

Bulls,  three  years  old  and  over. 

The  first  to  Silas  Carll,  of  North  Hempstead, 
The  second  to  David  W.  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay, 
The  third  to  David  S.  Gould,  of  Oyster  Bay, 

Cows,  three  years  old  and  over. 

The  first  to  Maj.  Wm.  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay, 
The  second  to  Thomas  Bell,  of  Flushing, 
The  third  to  Benjamin  Hegeman,  of  Flushing, 

Heifers,  one  year  old  and  under  three. 

The  first  to  George  Douglass,  of  Flushing, 
The  second  to  Samuel  Judd,  of  Jamaica, 
The  third  to  George  Douglass,  of  Flushing, 

OTHER  THAN  THOROUGH  BRED 

Bulls,  one  year  old  and  under  three. 

The  first  to  William  Layton,  of  North  Hempstead, 
The  second  to  Samuel  T.  Jackson,  of  Hempstead, 
The  third  to  George  Weeks,  of  Hempstead, 

Cows,  three  years  old  and  over. 

The  first  to  William  Layton,  of  North  Hempstead, 
The  second  to  Samuel  Judd,  of  Jamaica, 
The  third  to  William  Layton,  of  North  Hempstead, 

Heifers,  one  year  old  and  under  three. 

The  first  to  Peter  P.  Larrimer,  of  Jamaica, 
The  second  to  Isaac  E.  Haviland,  of  North  Hempstead, 


$8  00 
4.  00 
A  Diploma. 

$8  00 
4  00 
A  Diploma. 

$8  00 
4  00 
A  Diploma. 


$6  00 
4  00 
A  Diploma. 

$S  00 
4  00 
A  Diploma. 


The  third  to  Samuel  T.  Jackson,  of  Hempstead, 

CALVES,  OF  ANY  BREED. 

Bull  Calves. 

The  first  to  Daniel  K.  Youngs,  of  Oyster  Bay, 
The  second  to  Alfred  Conover, 

Heifer  Calves. 
The  first  tO  Major  William  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay, 
The  second  to  Effingham  Lawrence,  of  Flushing, 


$G  00 
3  00 
Diploma. 


$5  00 
Diploma. 

$5  00 

Diploma 


15 


Report  on  Working  Oxen. 

Committee. — Conklin  Gould,  Skidmore  Hcndrickson,  John  J.  Hewlett, 
Anson  Conklin,  Benjamin  C.  Jackson. 

The  Committee  report  that  they  have  awarded  the  premiums  as 
follows  : — 

Working  Oxen,  four  years  old  and  over. 

The  first  to  William  Layton,  of  North  Hempstead,  $6  00 

The  second  to  Sidney  Allen,  of  North  Hempstead,  A  Diploma. 

Steers,  two  years  old  and  under  four. 

The  first  to  John  Henderson,  of  —  $5  00 

The  second  to  Benjamin  R.  Smith,  of  Hempstead,         A  Diploma. 

The  Committee  take  much  pleasure  in  noticing  a  pair  of  fine  Ox- 
en belonging  to  Geo.  Douglass,  of  Douglass'  Farm. — They  were  ex- 
ceedingly well  trained,  and  would  work  alone  as  well  as  together. 

They  also  beg  to  notice  a  pair  of  twin  Calves,  7  months  old,  ex- 
hibited by  Willet  U.  Layton,  of  North  Hempstead,  which  were  well 
trained  and  very  handsome.  As  no  premium  was  offered  for  such 
Calves,  it  is  recommended  that  a  discretionary  premium  be  given  for 
them  and  Mr.  Douglass'  Oxen. 

Report  on  Horses. 

Committee. — Whitehead  Mitchell,  Thomas  Baldwin,  Stephen  Robbins, 
John  R.  Schenck,  Silvenus  S.  Smith. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  award  premiums  on  Horses  at  the 
Fair  of  the  Queens  County  Agricultural  Society,  regret  to  report 
that  but  few  horses  were  offered  for  exhibition,  and  those  not  of 
such  a  character  as  to  sustain  the  high  reputation  that  our  County 
has  acquired  for  this  noble  animal.  The  Committee  fear  that  suffi- 
cient attention  is  not  paid  at  present  to  the  breeding  of  horses,  and 
that  Studs  are  preferred  rather  because  they  happen  to  possess  some 
little  trotting  power,  than  because  they  are  fine  Horses,  possessing 
those  points  necessary  to  make  either  farm  or  carriage  horses. 

The  Committee  suppose  the  Society  desire  to  encourage  the  horse 
which  is  able  to  work  upon  the  farm  or  go  upon  the  road,  and  not 
those  whose  only  merit  is  that  of  trotting.  The  horse  of  all  work 
is  doubtless  the  most  profitable  one  for  our  County. 

Studs,  three  years  old  and  over. 

But  two  were  offered,  and  they  awarded  the  first  premium 
to  Samuel  Mott,  of  Jamaica,  for  his  Sorrel  Horse, 
"Rising  Sun,"  $8  00" 

The  second  to  George  Tappen,  for  his  Bay  Horse  "Almack,"        4  00 
Studs,  one  year  old  and  under  three. 

The  display  in  this  class  was  quite  large,  and  several  of 
them  very  handsome.  The  first  premium  wa&awar- 
ded  to  Anthony  Davidson,  of  Hempstead,  $5  00 

The  second  to  Edward  Losee,  of  North  Hempstead,  3  00 

Breeding  Mares  and  Colts. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  William  Smith,  of 

Hempstead,  for  his  grey  mare  with  her  colt,  $8  00 

The  second  to  Benjamin  C.  Jackson,  of  Hempstead,  for 

his  sorrel  mare  and  colt.  4<  00 


Matched  Horses. 

The  rule  of  the  Society  permitting  only  horses  bred  and  o\vncd  in- 
the  County  to  be  entered  in  this  class,  prevented  much  of  a  display 
of  matched  horses.  It  is  suggested  whether  in  future  it  will  not  be 
sufficient  to  require  that  matched  horses  shall  have  been  owned  in 
the  County  for  a  certain  length  of  time. 
The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Jacob  S.  J.  Jones,  of 

Hempstead,  $6  Ofr 

The  second  to  Piatt  Willets,  of  Hempstead,  A  Diploma. 

Geldings  and  Fillies,  three  years  old  and  over. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Thomas  B.  Jackson, 

of  Newtown,  for  his  bay  gelding,  $5  00 

The  second  to  Edward  H.  Seaman,  of  Hempstead,  for  his 

bay  gelding,  A  Diploma* 

Geldings  and  Fillies,  under  three  years  old. 
The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  William  Willis,  of  North 

Hempstead,  $1  00 

The  second  to  Benjamin  C.  Jackson,  of  Hempstead,  for 

his  bay  filley,  A  Diploma. 

Report  on  Sheep. 
Committee. — Joseph  L.  Townsend,   Samuel  L.  Hewlett,   John  H. 
Cornell,  Effingham  Lawrence,  Jun. 

The  Committee  to  award  premiums  on  Sheep,  report  as  follows. 

Long  Wooled  Bucks. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Alexander  Johnson,  of 

Flushing,  $1  00 

The  second  to  John  H.  Cornell,  of  Flushing,  2  00 

The  third  to  Wm.  Ketcham,  of  Oyster  Bay,  A  Diploma. 

Best  three  Ewes. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  John  H.  Cornell  of 

Flushing,  $4  00 

The  second  to  William  Ketcham,  of  Oyster  Bay,  2  00 

The  third  to  Isaac  E.  Haviland,  of  North  Hempstead,  A  Diploma. 

Middle  wooled  Bucks. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  David  J.  Youngs,  of 

Oysterbay,  $4<  00 

The  second  to  Isaac  E.  Haviland,  of  North  Hempstead,  2  00 

The  third  to  Effingham  Lawrence,  of  Flushing,  A  Diploma. 

Best  three  Ewes. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Alexander  Johnson,  of 

Flushing,  $4  00 

The  second  to  Isaac  E.  Haviland  of  North  Hempstead  2  00 

Fine  Wooled  Bucks. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Effingham  Lawrence, 

of  Flushing,  $1<  00 

The  second  to  David  W.  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay,  2  00 

Best  three  Ewes. 
The  first  premium  to  David  W.  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay,  if>'l<  00 

The  second  to  David  J.  Youngs,  of  Oyster  Bay,  2  00 


17 

Report  on  Swine. 

Committee. — James  H.  Skidmore,   Jacob  S.  J.  Jones,  Stephen  0. 
Underbill,  Cornelius  Rhodes,  Henry  Story. 
The  Committee  on  Swine  report  that  they  have  awarded  premi- 
ums as  follows : 

Boars. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Daniel  K.  Youngs,  of 

Oyster  Bay,  $5  00 

There  was  no  competitors  with  this  hog,  and  accordingly  no  sec- 
ond premium. 

Breeding  Sows. 

The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Joseph  L.  Townsend, 

of  North  Hempstead,  $5  00 

The  second,  to  Henry  W.  Piatt,  of  North  Hempstead,  3  00 

Report  on  Butter  and  Cheese. 

Committee. — James  Rider,  Peter  Luyster,  James  Herriman,  Har- 
ry H.  Marvin,  John  R.  Schenck. 
The  Committee  awarded  premiums  on  Butter,  as  follows  : 
The  first  premium  was  awarded  to  Mrs.  Peter  C.  Bell,  of 

Hempstead,  $3  00 

The  second,  to  Mrs.  Stephen  Robbins,  of  Oyster  Bay,  2  00 

The  third  "  "  "  "  A  Diploma. 

No  Cheese  was  offered  for  exhibition. 
The  Committee  would  here  remark  that  the  numerous  samples  of 
Butter  exhibited  were  nearly  all  very  good,  and  such  as  to  render  it 
difficult  to  determine  which  only  were  entitled  to  premiums. 

Mr.  BelVs  statement  of  the  mode  of  Making  Butter. 

In  compliance  with  your  request,  I  give  you  a  statement  of  the 
mode  in  which  the  Butter  which  received  the  first  premium  at  the 
late  Fair  was  made. 

It  was  made  one  week  previous  to  the  fair,  from  the  milk  of  four 
cows.  In  the  summer  season,  immediately  after  the  milk  is 
taken  from  the  cows,  the  pail  is  placed  in  a  tub  of  water.  When 
the  milk  is  cool,  it  is  placed  in  a  cellar,  where  there  is  a  free 
circulation  of  air — when  it  is  thick,  the  cream  is  taken  off,  placed  in 
a  stone  vessel,  and  churned  in  an  oak  churn.  We  churn  each  alter- 
nate day  in  the  Summer.  In  Winter  our  practice  is  the  same,  except 
not  cooling  the  milk  nor  churning  as  often. 

The  Butter  is  taken  from  the  churn,  put  in  water,  and  worked  till 
free  from  milk.  To  six  pounds  of  Butter  put  half  a  pint  of  common 
fine  salt— -no  salt-petre  or  any  other  substance  used — the  best  time 
for  churning  in  summer  is  in  the  morning — the  best  mode  of  preser- 
ving butter  through  the  summer  and  winter  is  in  a  stone  vessel,  air- 
tight if  possible. 

Hempstead,  Nov.  23d,  1843. 

Mr.  Robbins1  statement  of  making  the  Butter  which  received 
the  second  and  third  premiums. 
It  was  made  of  the  milk  from  ten  cows,  strained  in  tin  pans,  kept 
two  days,  churned  and  worked  with  blown  salt, 

Woodbury,  Nov.  10th,  1843. 


18 


Report  on  Field  Crops. 

Committee, — James  W.  Mott,   Jacob  B.  Willis,   David  J.  Youngs, 

Asa  James. 

The  Committee  to  award  premiums  on  Field  Crops,  report  that 

they  have  agreed  upon  the  following : 

Corn.  ■ 

The  first  to  John  I.  Lott,  of  Hempstead,  for  a  crop  of  over 

103  bushels  to  the  acre,  $<5  00 

The  second  to  Abraham  Bergen,  of  Jamaica,  for  a  crop 

of  over  100  bushels  per  acre,  $3  00 

The  third  to  John  A.  King,  of  Jamaica,  for  a  crop  of  over 

88  bushels  per  acre,  A  vol.  Transactions  of  the  N.  Y. 

State  Agricultural  Society. 

Oats. 

The  first  premium  to  Thomas  F.  Youngs,  of  Oyster  Bay, 

for  a  crop  of  61?  bushels  per  acre,  $6  00 

There  were  no  claimants  for  the  premiums  on  Wheat  and  Rye, 
and  no  others  on  Oats. 

Samples. 

To  James  Weeden,  of  Newtown,  for  the  best  half  bushel 

of  seed  Wheat,  weighing  63  lbs.  per  bush.,  $2  00 

To  David  W.  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay,  for  the  second,        A  Diploma. 

To  Tallmadge  Robins,  of  Hempstead,  for  the  best  half 

bushel  of  seed  Oats,  weighing  40  lbs.  per  bush.,  $2  00 

To  JohnHarrold,  of  Hempstead,  for  the  second  best,  weigh- 
ing 36  pounds  per  bushel,  A  Diploma. 

To  David  W.  Jones,  of  Oyster  Bay,  for  the  best  20  ears  of 

Corn,  $2  00 

To  David  S.  Gould,  of  Oyster  Bay,  for  the  second,        A  Diploma. 

The  Oats  exhibited  by  Messrs.  Robins  &  Harrold  were  of  the 
Scotch  potatoe  kind,  and  it  was  understood  that  the  seed  sown  was 
of  the  same  importation  :  showing  that  the  difference  in  weight  was 
owing  to  the  cultivation. 

The  Committee  beg  leave  to  call  the  attention  of  the  Society  to 
the  very  loose  manner  in  which  the  corn  was  measured  by  the  claim- 
ants for  the  premiums. 

One  person  measured  the  corn  from  only  twenty  hills,  another 
forty,  and  a  third  from  one  row,  and  then  calculated  that  the  whole 
field  is  like  that  measured. 

So  negligent  a  mode  of  measurement  is  not  deserving  the  encour- 
agement of  an   Agricultural  Society. 

Besides  being  unworthy  of  reliance,  it  is  calculated  to  make  jeal- 
ousies among  the  claimants,  for  should  one  happen  to  measure  a  few 
more  hills  than  another,  he  would  think  the  other  unfair;  and  should 
one  happen  to  make  an  "actual  measurement,"  he  would  insist  on  be- 
ing entitled  to  the  premium,  although  another  "calculates"  he  has 
much  the  largest  crop. 

The  Committee  therefore  suggests,  that  the  premiums  aro  not  award- 
ed  until  the  month  of  December,  and  it  may  be  supposed  that  the  corn 
intended  to  be  offered  for  the  premium  will  be  husked  by  that  time, 
that  the  claimants  be  informed  that  the  entire  crop  must  be  measured 


19 


by  the  ordinary  standard.  The  rules  of  the  Society  now  require  "the 
amount  of  the  crop  to  be  determined  by  actual  measurement,"  but 
the  claimants  have  all  defined  "actual  measurement"  to  mean  meas- 
uring that  on  a  few  hills  and  guessing  at  the  remainder.  It  is  not 
essential  that  it  should  be  shelled,  but  may  be  measured  in  the  ear, 
or  what  is  more  fair  misrht  be  weighed. 

JOHN  I.  LOTT'S  CORN  CROP. 
I  do  hereby  certify  that  I  measured  an  acre  of  corn  ground  for 
John  I.  Lott,  it  being  ten  rods  from  east  to  west,  and  sixteen  rods 
from  north  to  south:  having  fifty-nine  rows  from  north  to  south: — 
and  having  gathered  one  of  the  average  rows  found  it  to  contain  one 
bushel,  three  pecks,  and  one  half  pint;  being  at  the  rate  of  one  hun- 
dred and  three  bushels,  two  pecks,  six  quarts,  one  pint,  and  one  half 
pint  to  the  acre.  SILVANUS  TITUS. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me,  the  2nd  day  of  November,  1843. 

JAMES  JACKSON,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

We,  the  undersigned,  certify  that  we  assisted  in  measuring  an 
acre  of  corn  ground  of  John  L  Lott,  it  being  ten  rods  from  east  to 
west,  and  sixteen  rods  from  north  to  south.  Having  gathered  one 
of  the  average  rows,  found  it  to  contain  one  bushel,  three  pecks  and 
one  half  pint,  making  one  hundred  three  bushels,  two  pecks,  six 
quarts,  one  and  a  half  pints  on  said  acre.  The  rows  on  the  above 
measured  ground  were  thirty  eight  one  way,  and  fifty  nine  the  other. 
We  gathered  one  row  that  contained  thirty  eight  hills,  that  being  the 
fifty  ninth  part  of  the  hills  on  said  ground. 

JOHN  I.  LOTT. 
SAMUEL  C.  DOTY. 
DANIEL  BEDELL. 
Sworn  and  subscribed  this  17th  day  of  November,  1843. 

BENJ.T.  SMITH,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Statement. 

The  land  upon  which  the  corn  grew  is  of  a  sandy  soil,  and  was 
used  for  pasture  for  three  years  past.  Green  sedge  hay  has  been 
spread  on  it  each  fall,  and  remained  until  dried,  then  all  removed. — 
It  was  ploughed  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  planted  about  the  first 
of  May.  About  five  wagon  loads  of  yard  manure  were  put  in  the  hills 
per  acre,  planted  about  four  feet  apart  each  way,  four  and  five  grains 
in  each  hill,  ploughed  each  way  twice  in  the  row,  from  the  hill,  hoed, 
ploughed  three  times  in  the  row  each  way  to  the  hill,  hoed  again, 
nothing  more  done. 

There  were  about  nine  acres  in  the  field  j  and  the  whole  expense 
would  not  exceed  fifteen  dollars  per  acre. 

JOHN  L  LOTT. 

Hicks'  Neck,  November,  1843. 

ABRAHAM  BERGEN'S  CORN  CROP. 
I,  JohnN.  BrinckerhofT  of  the  town  of  Jamaica,  in  the  County 
of  Queens,  declare  and  certify,  that  on  the  14th  day  of  October  inst., 
I  surveyed  one  acre  of  land  Irom  one  side  of  a  field  of  corn,  be- 
longing to  Abraham  Bergen  of  the  said  town,  the  acre  being  in  two 
rectangles  as  follows:  the  smallest  being  1.135  chains  in  width  on 
the  north  and  south  lines,  and  1.34  chains  in  length  on  the  east  and 


20 


west  lines.  The  other  in  width  on  north  and  30uth  lines  2.5  chains 
and  in  length  on  east  and  west  sides  3,39g  chains.  The  first  parcel 
has  16  rows  on  north  and  south,  and  20  rows  on  east  and  west  sides. 
The  second  parcel  has  50  rows  on  east  and  west  sides,  and  35  rows  oeh 
north  and  south,  the  south  end  extending  one  seventh  of  the  width 
of  another  row,  which  will  make  5  hills  to  be  added.  In  the  calcu-* 
lation  no  deduction  is  made  for  missing  hills.  And  I  saw  gathered, 
shelled  and  measured,  twenty  hills  in  succession  of  the  said  corn, 
yielding  .970313  bushel,  and  which  by  an  accurate  computation  made 
by  me  will  yield  100,66  bushel  of  corn  on  the  said  acre  of  land,, 
thus  surveyed:  calculating  the  corn  to  stand  half  the  width  of  a  row 
within  the  measured  lines. 

JOHN  N.  brinckerhoff: 

Jamaica,  Oct.  14th,  1S43. 

Queens  County,  ss. 
Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me,  this  17th  day  of  October,  1843". 

THOMAS  BRADLEE,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
We,  the  undersigned,  were  present  and  assisted,  when  the  within 
named  land  was  measured,  and  the  corn  gathered,  shelled  and  meas- 
ured, and  believe  the  same  to  be  correct  in  all  its  details. 

Jamaica,  Oct.  14th  1843.  ABR'M  BERGEN. 

JAMES  DITMARS. 

Queens  County,  ss. 
Subscribed  and  sworn  before  me,  this  17th  day  of  October,  1S43. 

THOMAS  BRADLEE,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Statement. 

The  land  was  mowed  four  years  in  succession.  It  was  last  fall  a 
timothy  and  spear  grass  sod.  In  the  month  of  January  I  ploughed  a- 
bout  one  half  of  the  field,  and  the  remainder  early  in  April,  as  deepas 
it  would  turn  well.  About  the  middle  of  April  I  harrowed  and  mark- 
ed out,  and  planted  about  the  first  of  May.  Manure  used,  was  five  or 
six  loads  from  hog  pen,  five  loads  from  cow  stables,  cost  $5,  and 
seven  and  a  half  loads  from  horse  stable,  mixed  together.  It  was 
ploughed  twice  in  a  row  each  way  from  the  hill,  and  twice  in  a  row  each 
way  to  the  hill.  Then  it  was  hoed  very  lightly,  and  finally  it  was  plough- 
ed 3  times  in  a  row  each  way,  and  hilled  up  properly.  Of  the  above  , 
mentioned  manure,  about  a  load  and  a  half  was  left  unused. 

ABRAHAM  BERGEN. 

JOHN  A.  KING'S  CORN  CROP. 
I,  John  N.  BrinckerhofF,  of  the  Town  of  Jamaica,  in  the  County  of 
Queens,  declare  and  certify,  that  on  the  16th  day  of  October  in  St., 
1  surveyed  and  staked  out  one  acre  from  one  side  of  a  field  of  corn, 
belonging  to  John  A.  King,  of  the  said  town,  being  6.685  chains  in 
length  on  the  east  and  west  lines,  and  1.495  chains  in  length  on  tho 
north  and  south  lines,  and  containing  ninety-seven  rows  of  corn  in 
length,  and  twenty-two  in  breadth,  and  1  saw  gathered,  shelled  and 
measured,  forty  hills  in  succession  of  said  corn,  yielding  1.65597 
bushels,  and  which  by  an  accurate  computation  made  by  me,  will 
yield  88.056  bushels  of  corn  on  the  said  acre  of  land  thus  sur- 
veyed and  staked  out — there  being  seven  hills  deducted  from  said 
acre  of  corn  in  consequence  of  tho  outside  row  extending  one 
fourteenth  of  the  width  of  tho  row  beyond  an  acre  of  land,  calcula- 


•21 


tinor  the  corn  to  stand  half  the  width  of  a  row  within  the  measured  land 
Jamaica,  Oct.  16th,  1S4-3. 

JOHN  N.  BRINCKERHOFF, 

Mathematical  Teacher,  Union  Hall  Academy . 

Sworn  before  me,  16th  of  October,  184-3. 

THOMAS  BRADLEE,  Justice  of  Peace. 

We,  the  undersigned,  were  present  and  assisted  when  the  land  was 
measured  and  staked,  and  the  corn  gathered,  shelled  and  measured, 
of  the  within  named  acre  of  land,  and  believe  the  same  to  be  correct 
in  all  its  details.  JOHN  A.  KING, 

GEORGE  NOSTRAND, 
Jamaica,  Oct.  16th,  1843.  ABR'M  BERGEN. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me,  this  sixteenth  day  of  October, 
1843.  THOMAS  BRADLEE,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Statement. 

The  field  was  an  old  timothy  and  clover  sward,  on  a  good  sandy 
loam,  and  had  not  been  broken  up  for  7  or  S  years. 

It  was  in  part  ploughed  late  last  Fall,  and  finished  during  the  mild 
weather  of  January.  In  the  early  part  of  May  it  was  well  harrowed 
and  about  25  loads  of  stable  and  compost  manure  per  acre,  ploughed 
under.  It  was  then  marked  -i  feet  10  inches  apart,  and  as  much  well 
rotted  manure  put  into  each  hill  as  would  make  from  four  to  five 
loads  more  of  manure  per  acre.  It  was  not  planted  until  the  25th  of 
May;  when  5  grains  of  the  eight  rowed  white  flint  corn  was  put  in 
each  hill.  It  came  up  well  and  evenly,  and  the  ground  being  entirely 
free  from  weeds  and  grass,  it  was  hoed  lightly,  then  ploughed  both 
ways  and  harrowed  ;  and  after  a  suitable  interval  again  ploughed  both 
ways — thoroughly  hoed  and  moderately  hilled — after  which  it  was  left 
to  make  its  way,  nor  did  it  apparently  suffer  much  from  the  long  and 
severe  drought  until  within  a  few  days  of  its  termination.  It  had  just 
begun  to  show  the  sets  about  the  time  the  heavy  rains  come  on,  and 
from  that  time  continued  to  grow  stout  and  healthy.  There  were  very 
lew  missing  hills  in  the  field  of  4-  acres  ;  and  considering  the  extremes 
of  the  season,  it  as  even  and  uniform  a  field  of  corn  as  can  be  found  in 
the  neighborhood.  JOHN  A.  KING. 

THOMAS  F.  YOUNGS'  OATS  CROP. 
I  certify  that  1  surveyed  and  marked  the  bounds  of  an  acre  of  Oats 
for  Thomas  F.  Youngs,  and  that  it  contained  no  more  than  one  acre* 

WM.  J.  YOUNGS. 
Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me,  the  22nd  of  Nov.,  1S43. 

ALLEN  HAWXHUfiST,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 
Statement. 

The  Oats  were  sown  about  the  middle  of  April  on  a  corn  stubble: 
in  preparing  the  ground  for  corn,  about  15  loads  of  horse  manure 
were  spread  on  the  acre  :  the  field  being  then  in  grass  sward,  was 
ploughed  over,  and  the  corn  planted  in  the  ordinary  manner. 
The  past  spring  the  corn  stubs  were  harrowed  out,  and  the  ground 
ploughed  once.  The  oats  were  sown  broadcast  ;  2  bushels  being 
sown  to  the  acre — were  harvested  about  the  middle  of  July,  yielding- 
611  bushels  to  the  acre.  HENRY  TAFF. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  before  me,  the  16th  of  October,  1S43. 

ALLEN  HAWXHURST,  Justice  of  the  Peace, 


22 


Report  on  Roots. 

Committee. — Elbert  Arthur,  Benjamin  Seaman,  William  Skidmore, 

William  Ketchum,  Peter  Lott. 
The   Committee   on  Roots  report  that  they  have  awarded  premi- 
ums as  follows : — 

Potatoes. 

To  Thomas  Willis,  for  the  best  crop  of  Potatoes  raised  on  not 
less  than  a  quarter  of  an  acre,  being  49  bushels  from  49  rods,    $6  00 

There  was  but  this  one  claim  made  for  this  premium,  and  although 
the  product  is  not  large,  yet  from  the  unfavorableness  of  the  season 
they  deem  it  above  mediocrity,  and  award  accordingly. 

Turnips. 

To  William  Ketchum,  for  the  best  crop  of  Turnips,  being  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  six  bushels  from  forty  square  rods,  $6  00 

Carrots. 

To  Daniel  K.  Youngs,  for  the  best  crop  of  Carrots,  being  two 
hundred  and  five  bushels  from  one  quarter  of  an  acre,  $6  00 

There  was  one  claimant  for  the  premium  on  Beets,  but  as  the 
crop  was  deemed  below  mediocrity,  the  rules  of  the  Society  prevent 
a  premium  being  awarded. 

The  Committee  awarded  also  the  following  premiums — 


Potatoes  for  table. 

To  David  W.  Jones,  for  the  best  peck  of  Potatoes,  $2  00 

To  Thomas  F.  Youngs,  for  the  second  best,  A  Diploma. 

To  Wm.  H.  Brown,  for  the  best  six  blood  Beets,  Do. 


To  Singleton  Mitchell,  for  the  best  twelve  Carrots  for  table,  Do. 
To  Samuel  Youngs,  for  the  best  twelve  Carrots  for  cattle,  Do. 
The  Committee  recommend  that  a  Diploma  be  awarded  to  John 
B.  Luyster,  for  three  very  large  Beets. 

THOMAS  WILLIS'  CROP  OF  POTATOES. 
I  do  hereby  certify  that  I  measured  carefully  and  accurately,  a 
patch  of  potatoes  for  Thomas  Willis,  and  found  it  to  contain  forty 
nine  rods.  ISAAC  S.  KETCHUM. 

Affirmed  and  subscribed  this  22nd  of  November,  1843,  before  me, 

EDMUND  TITUS,  Justice. 

I  hereby  certify  that  I  measured  the  crop  from  said  patch  of  pota- 
toes, and  that  there  were  forty  nine  bushels. 

CHARLES  BRISTLE. 

Affirmed  and  subscribed  this  22nd  of  November,  1843. 

EDMUND  TITUS,  Justice. 

STATE3IENT, 

Of  the  crop  of  Potatoes  raised  by  Thomas  Willis. 
The  soil  was  not  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  ;  the  previous  crop 
was  corn,  manured  in  the  hill  with  about  a  gill  of  Poudrctte  to  each 
hill. 

The  ground  for  the  potatoc  crop  was  ploughed  about  the  10th  of 
April,  planted  in  drills  3J  feet  apart,  manured  witli  'A  loads  of  a  mix- 
ture of  horse  and  cow  manure,  placed  on  the  potatoes  after  they 
were  dropped  in  \\w.  drills,  they  were  ploughed  once  and  hoed  once. 
They  were  of  the  Mercer  kind. 


S3 


Expense. 

.{  day  ploughing  $0  50 

2  "  planting  0  87 
1  "  ploughing  and  hoeing  0  87 
4  "  harvesting  2  50 

3  loads  of  manure  3  00 


$7  74* 

49  bushels,  at  3  shillings  '  18  38 


Profit  from  the  49  rods  $10  64 

WILLIAM  KETCHAM'S  CROP  OF  TURNIPS. 
1  do  hereby  certify  that  I  measured  carefully  and  correctly,  a  tur- 
nip patch  for  William  Ketcham,  and  found  it  to  contain  40  square 
rods.  ISAAC  S.  KETCHAM. 

Affirmed  and  subscribed  this  22nd  day  of  November,  1843. 

EDMUND  TITUS,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

I  do  hereby  certify  that  I  assisted  in  measuring  the  crop  of  Turnip? 
of  William  Ketcham  and  from  the  40  rods  there  were  ono  hundred 
and  twenty  six  bushels.  his 

EPHRAIM  X  LOUIS, 
mark. 

Affirmed  and  subscribed  this  22nd  day  of  November,  1843. 

EDMUND  TITUS,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Statement. 

The  soil  is  a  sandy  loam,  was  planted  the  previous  year  with  corn, 
which  was  manured  in  the  hill  only ;  the  manure  then  used  was  horse 
dung,  at  the  rate  of  one  shovel  full  to  4  hills. 

The  ground  for  turnips  was  ploughed  the  first  time  about  the  mid- 
dle of  May, — about  the  middle  of  July  6  loads  of  manure  was  spread 
on  and  ploughed  under, — ploughed  again  the  22nd,  and  sown  imme- 
diately on  every  furrow  with  a  drill  barrow — hoed  and  thinned  once. 
4  day's  ploughing,  $0  50 

4    "    spreading  manure,  1  00 

1  "     ploughing  and  sowing,  0  75 
10    "     hoeing,  3  75 

2  "  harvesting,  75 
6  loads  of  manure,  12  00 

Expense,   $18  75 

Product  of  40  rods,  126  bushels  at  3  shillings,       $47  25 

Tops  worth       2  00 

 $49  2& 


Profit  $30  50 
WILLIAM  KETCHAM. 
Affirmed  and  subscribed,  this  24th  day  of  November, 

EDMUND  TITUS,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

DANIEL  K.  YOUNGS'  CROP  OF  TURNIPS. 
I  certify  that  I  measured  a  patch  of  Carrots  for  Daniel  K.  Youngs, 
and  that  there  was  no  more  than  one  quarter  of  an  acre  in  it. 

MICAH  W.  LUDLAM. 
Sworn  and  subscribed  the  20th  day  of  November,  1843,  before  me 
ALLEN  HAWXHURST,  Justice  of  the  Peace- 


24 


I  certify  that  1  assisted  in  measuring  the  Carrots  of  Daniel  K; 
Youngs,  and  that  there  were  two  hundred  and  five  bushels  on  the 
quarter  of  an  acre.  THOMAS  YOUNGS. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  the  20th  of  November,  1843,  before  me. 

ALLEN  HAWXHURST,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Statement. 

Condition  of  the  soil. — Previous  to  the  Spring  of  1842,  the  field 
had  lain  without  ploughing  several  years,  and  used  as  a  sheep  pas- 
ture. It  was  then  ploughed  and  manured  with  twenty  loads  of  New 
York  street  manure  to  the  acre,  and  planted  with  corn,  which  pro- 
duced about  forty  bushels  to  the  acre. 

Manure  and  Cultivation. — The  present  season  24  small  loads  (a- 
bout  a  quarter  of  a  cord  each,)  of  what  is  bought  for  and  known  by 
the  appellation  of  New  York  horse  manure,  but  what  in  reality 
is  nearer  the  truth — a  compost  of  shavings,  saw-dust,  tan  bark,  su- 
mach, butchers'  offal,  plenty  of  straw,  a  very  small  quantity  of  real 
horse  manure,  and  every  variety  of  weed  seed  that  a  farmer  need  de- 
sire, were  spread  to  the  acre  and  ploughed  in.  Planted  about  the 
20th  May  with  an  ordinary  drill  barrow,  in  rows  about  fifteen  inches 
apart.  Hoed  twice  and  the  plants  left  standing  thick,  say  not 
more  than  two  or  three  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  Gathered  the 
last  of  October.  Before  pulling  a  deep  furrow  was  thrown  out 
with  the  plough  as  near  the  roots  as  possible,  after  which  they  could 
be  easily  pulled  without  the  aid  of  spade  or  mattock.  The  carrots 
after  tops  were  measured  in  a  three  bushel  measure,  which  was  tes- 
ted in  the  first  place  with  apples,  and  found  to  hold  six  half  bushels 
well  rounded,  or  about  as  long  as  they  would  lay  on  by  shoveling. 
The  product  was  205  bushels,  all  of  which  were  actually  grown 
within  the  bounds  of  one  quarter  of  an  acre  as  marked  by  the  surveyor. 

DANIEL  K.  YOUNGS. 

Report  on  Fruits  and  Honey. 

Committee. — S.  Woodbridge,  Junr.,  Isaac  E.  Haviland,  William  R. 
Prince,  James  Jackson,  Howard  Pearsall. 

The  Committee  report  that  they  have  awarded  the  premiums  as 
follows — 

To  Henry  W.  Piatt,  of  North  Hempstead,  for  the  best  and  great- 
est variety  of  Apples,  $2  00 

To  Jacob  Williams,  of  North  Hempstead,  for  the  second,     A  Diploma. 

To  William  R.  Prince,  of  Flushing,  for  the  best  and  greatest  va- 
riety of  Pears,  $2  00 

To  Nathaniel  Seaman,  of  Hempstead,  for  the  best  and  greatest  va- 
riety of  Grapes,  $2  00 

To  James  Fleet,  of  Oyster  Bay,  for  the  second  best,  A  Diploma. 

To  William  B.  Robbins,  of  North  Hempstead,  for  the  best  sample 
of  Honey,  $2  00 

To  Sylvanus  Bedell,  of  Hempstead,  for  the  second,         A  Diploma. 

The  Committee  regret  to  state  that  Mr.  William  R.  Prince  did 
not  arrive  with  his  apples,  of  which  he  had  fifty  varieties,  and 
G  rapes,  until  after  the  Committee  had  decided  on  those  articles. 


25 


Eh 
H 

Q 
O 

t/2 

<j 

P4 
P 
H 

Hi 

P 

Q 
I— i 

P3 

CD 

<! 

N 

P 
O 

a 

CO 

g 


& 

w 

B 

4 

fit 


© 

4) 
O 

fa 

5 

© 

fa 

fee 


0 

o 

© 

a? 

4) 


d 

© 

© 

fa 
fa 

a) 

© 
fa 


93 

ba 


58 


omooiomooci 

.OfOOt^l^lOOr-l 

J|  f  H  ^ 


Hi 

3 
■«-» 
o 

Hi 

CD 
O 


oo 

00 
CO 
CO 

#3° 


be 
S 

c 


<2  § 

-»->  H 
*-> 

„  O  ,03 

3  -2  t> 

O  *2 

5    ©J)    WJ  VU 

HN  hfrr"   ni  * — 1 


CO 
03 

CO 

Q  H 


CO 
GO 


to 


c 

o 

CO 
S3 

S  U 
r:  i— i 


»    3  ^rt 


es  _ 


CO 


•SO 


£pH 
o  2 


^  CO 

CO  CO 

S  « 
H,  Q 


CO 
O0 


H  C3 


Ph  Ph 


O  w  ■+->  ^ 
CD  a<  L1 

5     +j  <§ 

H    o  C3 
O   S  03 
CD  ^+-1  H 

b£>  to  w  EH 

s  d 

co  O  3  .5 
O  O  •-< 

03  § 

pq 


00 


o 
o 


o  o  o  o  o  o 
o  o  o  o  o  o 


t*-o     o  o  o  m  h  m 

W  H  H        Ci  O"} 


Q  i-H 

€6- 


GO 

00 

cr> 

CO 


o 
n=$ 

Hi 
3 

63 
CO 

s 

3 
•  — 

£ 

CD 
Hi 
& 

bo 

-  s 

CD  i^ 

^  CO 

t>»  a>  w 

^>  CD 
to-Sc 


CD  r 

CO  Hi 

--h  CD 

O  4~> 

O  £ 


CD 
■<-> 

eS 

CD 


3 

CO 

C3 
CD 
H 


cO 
00 


03 

J2 


C£5oo 


03  a 

bjO  RJ 

H  1^ 


bo  o  vn 

8  2 

*3  03 

s  £ 


o 

H 

-a 

CO 

3 


N*  V» 


CD 
H 


a 
• « 

CO 
CD 

s 

CS 

to 

i 


3 

-a 
a 

3 

tT 

H 

03 

-a 

o 

3 
O 
> 


a 

3 
O 

o 

CD 
3 
03 
> 
O 

3 
O 

+■» 

03 
Hi 
3 

£ 
o 

CD 

a 

3 

-3 

03 

a 
S 

3 
03 


03 
Hi 
3 
CD 

03 

3  03 

-a  s 

J-l 

03  w 

^  a 

w  ■*-> 

j->  Hi 
S-.  © 

CD  cj 

O  g 
^  03 

72 


a 

3 

o 

CD 

s 

CO 

Hi 
03 
»- 
3 

CO 

3 
CD 
Hi 

H 

03 

o 
a 


CD 


03 
03 


QPh  a 


26 


OFFICERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 

worn 

President, 
EFFINGHAM  LAWRENCE,  Flushing. 


Thomas  Floyd  Jones, 
Singleton  Mitchell, 
George  Douglass, 


David  W.  Jones, 

KOBERT  W.  MOTT, 

John  L.  Denton. 


Vice  Presidents, 

Thomas  B.  Jackson, 
George  Nostrand, 
John  Bedell. 

Managers, 

James  Weedin, 
John  L.  Spader, 
Jacob  S.  J.  Jones. 

Corresponding  Secretary, 
Albert  G.  Carll,  Jericho. 

Recording  Secretary, 
Edward  H.  Seaman. 

Treasurer, 
Daniel  K.  Youngs. 


LIFE  MEMBERS, 

Who  have  paid  ten  dollars  each. 

Samuel   Leggett,   Flushing,       George  M.  Woolsey,  Newtown, 
William  H.  Carter, 
Gardiner  G.  Howland, 
Jehiel  Jogger, 


(i 


D.  F.  Manice,  Hempstead, 
Wm.  H.  Brown,  " 
Isaac  E.  Haviland.  N.  Hempstead. 


William  Jones, 
Conklin  Gould, 
Thomas  F.  Youngs, 
I  >aniel  K.  Youngs, 
Peter  Luyster, 
John  J.  Hewlett, 
Valentine  Hicks, 
1  Icnry  F.  Jones, 
Stephen  C.  Underbill, 
David  S.  ( J  ould, 
J  )avid  W.  Jonos, 
Charles  H.  Jones, 
James  E.  I  )e  Kny, 

George  Tappen, 


LIST  OF  MEMBERS 

FOR  1843. 

OYSTER  BAY. 

John  B.  Coles, 


Samuel  Youngs, 
David  J.  Youngs. 
William  Harrold,  Jnr., 
Jaeob  B.  Willis, 
Stephen  Kobbins, 
Thomas  F.  Jones, 
Elbert  F.  Jones, 
William  Kctchum, 
Samuel  M.  Titus, 
John  H.  Jones,  . 
James  Fleet.  $ 
Thomas  Wulijj 
Robert  T.  Hijfs, 


27 


William  T.  McCoun, 
James  M.  Ludlam, 
Willet  Weeks, 
Elwood  Valentine, 
Jacob  Ellison, 
James  Meinell, 
John  B.  Luyster, 
Divine  Hewlett, 
Benjamin  T.?  Underbill, 
Andris  Bogart, 
Jdtmzs  W.  Underhill, 
*  Henry  I.  Youngs, 
Lawrence  Proudfoot, 
Albert  G.  Carll. 


William  S.  McCoun, 
Elbert  H.  Jones, 
James  C.  Townsend,,.  ^ 
James  Mason!- 
David  S.  Jones, 
Thomas  Jones, 
Walter  R.  Jones, 
Brewster  Conklin, 
Samuel  Denton, 
James  Velsor, 
Charles  P.  Stewart, 
George  W.  Townsend, 
William  H.  Jones, 


NORTH  HEMPSTEAD. 


Singleton  Mitchell, 
Robert  W.  Mott, 
Oliver  S.  Lawrence, 
Augustus  W.  Leggett, 
James  W.  Mott, 
Whitehead  Mitchell, 
Joel  Davis, 
Warren  Mitchell, 
William  Skidmore, 
William  L.  Baxter, 
William  Dodge, 
Thomas  H.  Townsend, 
Sidney  Allen, 
Jacob  Covert, 
James  H.  Skidmore, 
Silvanus  S.  Smith, 
George  H.  Horsefleld, 
Lewis  S.  Hewlett, 
Andrew  J.  Hegeman, 
Richard  S.  Williams, 
Lorenzo  Henderson, 


James  Weedin, 
Ansel  H.  Conklin, 
Silvanus  S.  Riker, 
Thomas  B.  Jackson, 
Robert  M.  Blackwell. 


Nathaniel  Seaman, 
John  Bedell, 
Hiram  A.  Whitaker, 
Robert  G.  Anderson, 
James  Wood, 
James  Jackson, 
Samuel  T.  Jackson, 
Whitehead  H.  Hewlett, 


Joseph  Hegeman, 
Francis  Skilman, 
Elbert  Bogart, 
Cornelius  Smith, 
Joseph  L.Hewlett, 
Joseph  L.  Hewlett,  Jnr., 
George  Duryea, 
Jacob  Williams, 
William  Layton, 
Joseph  L.  Townsend, 
Elbert  Arthur, 
Charles  Post, 
William  B.  Robbins, 
John  R. Schenck, 
Daniel  Kissam,  Jnr., 
Silas  Carle, 

Thomas  Williams,  Jnr., 
Samuel  L.  Hewlett, 
James  S.  Sell, 
Edward  Losee, 
Henry  W.  Piatt. 

NEWTOWN. 

Benjamin  R.  Stevens, 
Stephen  A.  Halsey, 
John  Cutting, 
David  S.  Mills, 

HEMPSTEAD. 

Benjamin  Rushmore, 
George  M.  Hewlett, 
Oliver  T.  Hewlett, 
James  H.  Murray, 
Brewster  Valentine, 
Peter  T.  Hewlett, 
William  P.  Wright, 
Stephen  Bedell, 


28 


William  Smith, 
Oliver  S.  Denton, 
Charles  M.  Pine, 
George  G.  Carman, 
Tallmadge  Robins, 
Thomas  Combs, 
George  Weeks, 
Jacob  S.  J.  Jones, 
Peter  C.  Bell, 
S.  C.  Snedeker, 
Benjamin  C.  Jackson, 
William  L.  Laing, 
Thomas  Treadwell, 
Samuel  L.  Seaman, 
Samuel  Dorian, 
David  T.  Jennings, 
Alexander  Davidson, 
Edward  H.  Seaman. 

Effingham  Lawrence, 
Cornelius  Rhodes, 
John  L.  Denton, 
Cornelius  Nostrand, 
William  R.  Prince, 
John  H.  Cornell, 

Henry  I.  Hagner, 
John  A.  King, 
John  S.  Lott, 
DowS.  Lott, 
Peter  Lott, 

Increase  G.  Carpenter, 
Abraham  Bergen, 
Pierpont  Potter, 
Henry  Conklin, 
Alfred  Conover, 
Richard  Brush, 
John  H.  Boyles, 
Duryea  Rempson} 
James  Rider, 
Samuel  Mott, 


James  Burt  is, 
Robert  Mott, 
D.  F.  Clark, 
Silvanus  Bedell, 
Joseph  Hewlett, 
Isaac  Willets, 
Piatt  Willets, 
Valent  ine  Smith, 
S.  Woodbridge,  JnrT 
John  Harrold, 
Thomas  C.  Bell, 
Charles  Denton, 
Benjamin  H.  Smith, 
James  Anson, 
Thomas  Valentine, 
Benjamin  Griffin, 
Cornelius  Smith, 

FLUSHING.  • 

Benjamin  T.  Kissam,  Jnr., 
William  M.  Smith, 
George  Douglass, 
Effingham  Lawrence,  Jnr,} 
Skidmore  Henderson. 

JAMAICA. 

Daniel  Higbie, 
Abraham  D.  Snedeker, 
Howard  Pearsall, 
Martin  I.  Johnson, 
Bernardus  Henderson, 
George  Nostrand, 
Henry  Story, 
James  Herriman, 
John  Spader, 
Wessel  S.  Smith, 
John  L.  Spader, 
Peter  P.  Larrimer, 
Martin  G.  Johnson, 
John  Raynor, 
Benjamin  Hegeman, 


